Greens spokesperson for Finance, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, today called on Tasmanian Liberal Senators to provide federal assistance for TasWater’s infrastructure upgrade program.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “At a time when critical local infrastructure upgrades are needed, like those identified by TasWater, the federal government is proposing to cut payments to the states. The budget shows payments to the states are set to fall from $9 billion to $4 billion over the next four years.

The Greens have secured an Australian-first register of foreign owned water entitlements, in agreeing to support government legislation that gives the Foreign Investment Review Board greater scope to check if sales of Australian land to overseas buyers is in the national interest.

With two days of hearings into salmon farming in Tasmania now completed, the Greens spokesperson for Fisheries, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, provides the following comments.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “When I instigated this inquiry I said it was needed to shine some light into muddy waters regarding how the industry is regulated, and I believe we have achieved that.

The Greens spokesperson for Fisheries, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, has welcomed the Senate voting to establish an Inquiry into the sustainability of Tasmania’s salmon farms.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “This Inquiry will help shine some light on some of the murky information that has recently surfaced regarding the sustainability of salmon farms in Tasmania.

The Greens spokesperson for Fisheries, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson is calling on the Australian government to immediately deploy the Customs vessel ACV Ocean Shield to intercept the two pirate vessels currently illegally fishing off the coast of Australian Antarctic Territory.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “It is not good enough that the Sea Shepherd has had to, yet again, do the Government’s job.

As the Japanese whaling fleet again approaches Australian waters, Greens spokesperson on whaling Senator Peter Whish-Wilson has repeated his call for the Australian government to intercede.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “Sea Shepherd has again advised the Australian government about the whereabouts of the Japanese whalers. Greg Hunt’s stunt to monitor the whaling by plane has failed.

Today, Australian Greens spokesperson for fisheries Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said the Abbott Government is failing to protect Australia's sovereign waters and fishing grounds from criminals, breaking yet another election promise.  A "purple notice" - a formal notification to provide information on modi operandi, procedures, objects, devices and concealment methods of criminals - was issued last week by Interpol for the fishing vessel "Thunder" currently suspected to be operating in the Southern Ocean.

Following Minister Hunt’s election commitment to send the ACV Ocean Protector to the Southern Ocean, today Greens whaling spokesperson Senator Peter Whish-Wilson called on Greg Hunt to publicly outline his plan for action in full.

“The Antarctic whaling season is fast approaching and both the Japanese Whaling Fleet and the Sea Shepherd are readying for action,” said Senator Whish-Wilson.